A motor vehicle's on-board diagnostics (OBD) system provides self-diagnostic and reporting capability that can enable a vehicle owner or mechanic to access information about the engine and other vehicle sub-systems. All new motor vehicles are now equipped with a standard OBD-II or EOBD connector in line with regulations in force since 1996 in the USA, since 2000 for new passenger cars and LCVs in the EU, and since 2004 for HGVs in the EU. The OBD connection port in a vehicle can provide real-time engine data in addition to standardised diagnostic trouble codes which allow a mechanic to rapidly identify and remedy problems with the vehicle.
More recently, there has become available OBD data collection devices comprising a connector so as to be plugged into a vehicle's OBD port on a long-term basis to receive OBD data for a variety of purposes. For example, the TomTom ecoPLUS™ device can be installed in a vehicle belonging to a fleet so as to provide accurate information on fuel consumption and efficiency which is transmitted to an external server and displayed, for example, to a fleet manager. In another example, insurance companies may provide an OBD data collection device that plugs into a vehicle's OBD port so as to automatically track driving habits and thereby determine the insurance premium payable. This is known as usage-based insurance (UBI).
An example of a UBI data logging device is described in US 2013/0013348 A1. Such a data logging device includes a microprocessor and wireless GSM transceiver so that vehicle usage information can be transmitted to an insurer or other external entity. The data logging device includes a real-time clock so that data stored in the data log can be provided with a time stamp indicating the time of day information is received, and an internal power source that maintains the clock running. WO 2004/040405 A2 provides another example of an OBD data logging module that is configured to plug into the OBD-II port of a vehicle and has a real-time clock and on-board power supply as well as a microprocessor and memory. Even when no power is applied to the module from the OBD port in the vehicle, the real-time clock is maintained by the internal battery so that the collected OBD data can be accurately time-stamped. The module monitors driver habits and has a wireless communication interface so that OBD data can be transmitted to an external computer for interrogation.
OBD data logging devices tend to be relatively bulky because, in addition to the connector, they include a sizeable on-board memory and internal power source, e.g. battery, to power the microprocessor and real-time clock even when the device is not connected to a vehicle's OBD port. This means that such devices typically protrude from the vehicle's OBD port and can interfere with the driver, especially as the OBD port is usually positioned below a vehicle's steering column. The available space around the OBD port in most vehicles is very limited and typically not easily accessible for a user to readily connect and disconnect a device.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved OBD data collection device.